Skip to content
MovieCove
Louise Brealey

Louise Brealey

Actor · Born March 27, 1979 (47) · Bozeat, Northamptonshire, England

Louise Brealey (born 27 March 1979) is an English actress, writer and journalist. She played Molly Hooper in Sherlock (2010–), Cass in Back (2017), Scottish professor Jude McDermid in Clique (2017), Gillian Chamberlain in A Discovery of Witches (2018) and Donna Harman in Death in Paradise (2020). She made her TV debut as Nurse Roxanne Bird in two series of BBC drama Casualty (2002–2004) before playing Judy Smallweed in Bleak House (2005). Brealey plays pathologist Molly Hooper in all four series of Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss's television drama, Sherlock. She has also made her name as an accomplished stage actress. Her stage debut was at London's Royal Court in 2001 as 14-year-old Sophie in Max Stafford-Clark's production of Judy Upton's Sliding With Suzanne. She portrayed child prodigy Thomasina in the Bristol Old Vic production of Tom Stoppard's Arcadia in 2005. In 2011, she was the short-frocked daughter of Julian Barratt and Doon Mackichan at the Young Vic in Richard Jones's Government Inspector. She next played three lead roles – Cassandra, Andromache and Helen of Troy – in Caroline Bird's sold-out production of The Trojan Women at London's Gate Theatre. In February 2014, she starred as Julie in August Strindberg's Miss Julie at the Citizens Theatre in Glasgow. She won Best Actress at the Manchester Theatre Awards for her role as Marianne in Constellations, directed by Michael Longhurst and played the lead alongside Anne Marie Duff in Marianne Elliott's Husbands and Sons at the National Theatre. Description above is from the Wikipedia article Louise Brealey, licensed under CC-BY-SA, full list of contributors on Wikipedia.

Read more

Biography from TMDB.

Born
March 27, 1979 (47)
From
Bozeat, Northamptonshire, England
Works as
Actor
Titles
19 on MovieCove · 31 credits in all
Links
IMDb (opens in a new tab)TMDB (opens in a new tab)Wikidata (opens in a new tab)

Known for

TMDB popularity, last 157 days to Oct 28Up 12% in 30 days

What are Louise Brealey's films like?

Across their 10 MovieCove titles with a thematic analysis, their films lean Bonds and Self.

Themes

share of theme weight
Bonds
43%
Self
34%
Survival
10%
Society
8%
Power
3%
Morality
2%
Friendship4 titles, browse their movies with this themeIdentity5 titles, browse their movies with this themeFamily bonds3 titles, browse their movies with this themePurpose4 titles, browse their movies with this themeCommunity2 titles, browse their movies with this theme

What they feel like to watch

their average across 4 films
ToneFeelDemandtheir average · filled zone: the category
Serious: How heavy the subject matter and outlook get. Browse their serious movies.
Tone · Weight
lightdark

A split, not a type: Light 2 · Serious 1 · Dark 1

Stylized: How far its world departs from everyday reality. Browse their stylized movies.
Tone · Style
naturalisticheightened

A split, not a type: Grounded 2 · Stylized 1 · Heightened 1

Charged: How hard the emotional peaks hit while you watch. Browse their charged movies.
Feel · Intensity
gentleintense

Gentle 1 · Charged 2 · Intense 1

Steady: How much it swings between very different feelings. Browse their steady movies.
Feel · Swings
steadyswings

Steady 3 · Shifting 1 · Whiplash 0

Some laughs: How much of the runtime is played for laughs. Browse their some laughs movies.
Feel · Humor
noneconstant

Straight-faced 1 · Some laughs 2 · Funny 1

Even-paced: How fast it moves from scene to scene. Browse their even-paced movies.
Demand · Pace
slowrelentless

Slow burn 2 · Even-paced 2 · Relentless 0

Casual: How much focus it asks of you — look away and lose the thread? Browse their casual movies.
Demand · Attention
casualfull focus

Casual 3 · Engaged 1 · Full focus 0

Resolved: How much is left for you to interpret. Browse their resolved movies.
Demand · Resolution
resolvedambiguous

Resolved 3 · Open-ended 1 · Ambiguous 0

Roles they play

5 analyzed roles
Shapeshifter
1 of 5
Hero
1 of 5
Mentor
1 of 5
Herald
1 of 5
Trickster
1 of 5

Moods and endings

endings are an aggregate; no title is named

Dominant moods · mentions across their titles

Tense
6
Warm
4
Melancholic
3
Absurd
2
Dread
2
Other
10

How their films linger

Hopeful4 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFeel-good2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteFun2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteUnsettling2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteBittersweet2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertasteWistful2 titles, browse their movies with this aftertaste

How their films end · 2 with a twist

  • Bittersweet5
  • Ambiguous4
  • Cyclical1

AI-generated from each title's plot synopsis and cast list, with extra plot summaries, reviews and Parents Guide notes for titles the model may not know, and the model's own knowledge of the ones it recognizes. Only analyzed titles count, so this covers part of the filmography; the feel axes count films only for now.

Where can I watch Louise Brealey's films?

As of October 24, 2026, 17 of their 19 MovieCove titles stream on a subscription or free service, most on BritBox (8).

Also on these channels

Subscription and free streaming for Louise Brealey's titles on MovieCove; rent and buy are not counted. Titles are listed by Midcredits score, highest first, at most 12 per service; a dashed chip is a producer credit or a minor one, such as a thanks. A service opens the browse page, which counts movies only, so its number can differ.

Filmography

31 credits, 19 with a MovieCove page; 3 appearances as themselves are hidden until asked for.

  • Madfabulous(2026)

    as Lady Chetwynd

    Midcredits score: 38th percentile of all films

  • Daughters of the Late Colonel (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2026)

    as Josephine

  • Chuck Chuck Baby (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2024)

    as Helen

  • Such Brave Girls(2023)

    Show 12 episodes · as Deb

    Midcredits score: 69th percentile of all shows

  • Lockwood & Co.(2023)

    Show 4 episodes · as Pamela Joplin

    Midcredits score: 76th percentile of all shows

  • Deep Clean (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2022)

    as Maddie

  • Brian and Charles(2022)

    as Hazel

    Midcredits score: 72nd percentile of all films

  • Limbo (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2021)

    as Hannah Peyton

  • Jamie (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2020)

    as Mum

  • The Widow(2019)

    Show 5 episodes · as Beatrix

    Midcredits score: 44th percentile of all shows

  • A Discovery of Witches(2018)

    Show 8 episodes · as Gillian Chamberlain

    Midcredits score: 83rd percentile of all shows

  • In Wonderland (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2018)

    as Alice

  • Back(2017)

    Show 12 episodes · as Cass

    Midcredits score: 66th percentile of all shows

  • Clique(2017)

    Show 6 episodes · as Jude McDermid

    Midcredits score: 43rd percentile of all shows

  • Sherlock: The Abominable Bride (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2016)

    as Molly Hooper

  • Victor Frankenstein(2015)

    as Sexy Society Girl

    Midcredits score: 33rd percentile of all films

  • Containment(2015)

    as Sally

    Midcredits score: 14th percentile of all films

  • Birthday (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2015)

    as Natasha

  • Sherlock: Many Happy Returns (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2013)

    as Molly Hooper

  • Delicious(2013)

    as Stella

    Midcredits score: 21st percentile of all films

  • Shetland(2013)

    Show 6 episodes · as Isobel Jameson

    Midcredits score: 91st percentile of all shows

  • Father Brown(2013)

    Show 1 episode · as Eleanor Knight

    Midcredits score: 86th percentile of all shows

  • Ripper Street(2012)

    Show 7 episodes · as Dr. Amelia Frayn

    Midcredits score: 90th percentile of all shows

  • The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel(2011)

    as Hairdresser

    Midcredits score: 87th percentile of all films

  • Death in Paradise(2011)

    Show 1 episode · as Donna Harman

    Midcredits score: 81st percentile of all shows

  • Sherlock(2010)

    Show 11 episodes · as Molly Hooper

    Midcredits score: 99th percentile of all shows

  • I Want You (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2007)

    as Girl

  • The Gil Mayo Mysteries(2006)

    Show 8 episodes · as Scene-of-Crime Officer Harriet 'Anorak' Tate

    Midcredits score: 53rd percentile of all shows

  • Hotel Babylon (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2006)

    Show 1 episode · as Chloe McCourt

  • The Darkest Hour (not in the MovieCove catalog yet)(2001)

    as Kim

  • Casualty(1986)

    Show 48 episodes · as Roxanne Bird

    Midcredits score: 19th percentile of all shows

Career shape

Star power in the 96th percentile of 239,109 people with a billed film role, over a full career of 31 titles from 1986 to 2026; peak year 2015.

Biggest box office

Brian and Charles (2022)

$861K worldwide

Highest rated

Sherlock (2010)

Midcredits 99th

Film career

MilestoneBreakout
19862026

Peak 2015 · fewer prominent film roles lately. Top draw in 1 MovieCove title. Film roles by billing, audience size and rating; 25+ votes. A show carries a single first-air date, so shows are not on the curve.

By role

only this rolewith another role
Acting31 of 31: 31 only acting, 0 with another role · typical Midcredits score69th

By decade

1980s1 · acting2000s4 · acting2010s17 · acting2020s9 · acting

Billing

usually 7th · top billed in 20% of 5 roles

Counts from TMDB across their full career, self appearances out; a title counts in every role they held on it. The ring is the typical Midcredits score (the median percentile) of the role's titles that are on MovieCove, shown from 5 scored. Billing is TMDB cast order for roles with 25+ votes, billed in the top 30.

How do Louise Brealey's films land?

Their typical MovieCove film has a Midcredits score in the 36th percentile, the median of all 6; across a limited sample of 4 films with reception data, the typical film sits in the 32nd percentile for acclaim.

Acclaim · how much people like their films

32ndpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Approval · how many liked their films

30thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Reach · how many have seen their films

80thpercentile
Typical film, the median of 4

Midcredits score across 19 titles, by percentile

  • 75th and up8
  • 50th to 74th4
  • 25th to 49th4
  • Below 25th3

Shape of the crowd

10 of their 19 titles are Crowd Pleasers.

  • Universally Loved3
  • Cult Classic2
  • Crowd Pleaser10
  • Broadly Agreed2
  • Mixed2

Most divisive · actor

Madfabulous (2026)

81st percentile spread · 31% rated it 4 or lower

Most loved · actor

Sherlock (2010)

Midcredits 99th · 95% liked

Reviewers score the acting 71/100 in their films, across 3 reviewed titles; fans 78, detractors 56. The element that speaks to their work as an actor.

Percentiles are each film's standing among all films on MovieCove; the typical film is the median, so one outlier cannot drag it. Percentiles and reviewer scores count the films IMDb credits them on, for now; the Midcredits score bands, the shape of the crowd and the two cards count their MovieCove titles, shows included (a show ranked among shows), appearances as themselves left out. A descriptor is the shape of a title's IMDb rating distribution against the catalog; "most divisive" needs a spread wider than half of all titles, and a card names only a principal credit: a craft role, and on a show a crew role or a run of episodes, never a courtesy credit or a one-off guest spot.

Is Louise Brealey's work okay for kids?

Across a limited sample of up to 4 MovieCove titles with content scores.

Their medianMedian of all films
Violence & Gore4 titlesmedian 49 · moderateMedian of all films: 44
Sex & Nudity4 titlesmedian 23 · mildMedian of all films: 32
Profanity4 titlesmedian 40 · moderateMedian of all films: 36
Alcohol & Drugs4 titlesmedian 36 · moderateMedian of all films: 33
Frightening / Intense3 titlesmedian 60 · intenseMedian of all films: 39

Severity 0–100 from the Content Guide. Categories with under 10 votes on a title are not counted.

Who does Louise Brealey work with?

People who share at least 2 of Louise Brealey's MovieCove titles; Ruby Stokes shares the most, 2.